The citizens broadband radio service offers “bandwidth abundance,” said Preston Marshall, principal wireless architect for Google Wireless, during an Enterprise Wireless Alliance virtual conference Thursday. He's surprised about how fast the band's use has grown despite the pandemic and the amount of interest in private LTE. “It was developed, supported by the cellular industry,” he said: “It’s available to you” and you can buy equipment off the shelf. You can deploy “very rapidly” without “having to develop your own unique, proprietary hardware,” he said. Marshall predicted CBRS will be widely used by startups. “You can start small and you can grow,” he said. The cost of spectrum has “been an obstacle” because it was expensive, he said. Obstacles remain, he said. “We still need to work on how we create seamless roaming and authentication between operators,” he said. “The business models are still evolving -- who pays for what, how much do they pay, what are the methods of managing these transactions," he said. Further work remains on coexistence in a shared band, he said. Equipment makers also need to include the band in more handsets, he said. Mark Gibson, Commscope senior director-business development and spectrum policy, said the biggest surprise was the $4.6 billion raised in the CBRS auction, with more bidders than any previous FCC auctions. Big players like Verizon and Dish Network dominated the auction (see 2009020057), but the cheapest licenses went for as little as $1,100, he noted. It’s “the people’s band” with wireless ISPs and electric utilities bidding in their first spectrum auction, he said.
A nationalized 5G network is a nonstarter and would be illegal, CTIA General Counsel Tom Power said at the Americas Spectrum Management Conference Thursday. Power welcomed comments by a DOD official Tuesday that the department doesn’t plan to compete with the wireless industry (see 2010130033). A White House official said Thursday the administration’s work on the 3.45-3.55 GHz band was an important new way of looking at spectrum.
Sony, a spectrum access system operator in the citizens broadband radio service band, asked the FCC to approve it as an environmental sensing capability provider, in a Wednesday posting in docket 15-319. Parts were redacted.
The FCC doesn’t “really believe” public safety agencies will ever leave the 470-512 MHz T band, despite the 2012 Spectrum Act's mandate, Enterprise Wireless Alliance Regulatory Counsel Elizabeth Sachs told the EWA’s virtual wireless leadership summit Wednesday. Congress “adopted legislation without really understanding what it meant or who was involved or what the impact would be,” said Sachs, of Lukas LaFuria.
FCC Chief of Staff Matthew Berry and a top CTIA official downplayed reports the Trump administration is pushing the Pentagon to move forward on developing a national 5G network. The wireless industry sent a letter to President Donald Trump Tuesday opposing efforts to nationalize 5G network infrastructure. Berry and Scott Bergmann, CTIA senior vice president-regulatory affairs, spoke Monday at the Americas Spectrum Management Conference. DOD isn’t planning to launch a competitive 5G network, Fred Moorefield, deputy chief information officer-command, control and communications, said at an FCBA virtual conference Tuesday. Moorefield said he had seen the reports on the White House push but couldn't confirm them.
The FCC made major changes to its draft 4.9 GHz order after it was circulated by Chairman Ajit Pai, based on our comparison. Commissioners last week approved the order on a party-line vote (see 2009300050). It now includes a section blocking states that divert 911 funds from participating. The FCC will make the cut, initially, based on the 2019 fee diversion report. Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and West Virginia are initially ineligible. A comparison of the draft and final order and Further NPRM on 5G in 3.45-3.55 GHz also found changes.
Commissioners approved a Further NPRM Wednesday 5-0 on clearing the 3.45-3.55 GHz band, after changes were made at the urging of FCC Democrats asking whether the type of sharing used in the citizens broadband radio service band would work there. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly, who said during discussion on the item that he's leaving the FCC by year-end (see 2009300014), had pushed for the agency to take on the band. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said the U.S. remains behind on 5G. Chairman Ajit Pai predicted an auction next year.
Add to the 3.45-3.55 GHz NPRM questions on whether sharing similar to that in the citizens broadband radio service band would work there, the Open Technology Institute at New America urged an aide to FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. “The NPRM should at a minimum solicit comment on important elements of the CBRS framework that could enhance more intense, efficient and diverse use,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 19-348: “Regardless of the Commission’s tentative proposals, the record should reflect a robust consideration of options including smaller licensing areas (e.g., counties), authorizing opportunistic use of spectrum in areas where licensees are not providing service, and harmonizing the technical rules with CBRS in general.” Commissioners vote Wednesday (see 2009210056).
The telecom industry sows confusion about 5G and what the new generation of wireless really is, Tom Williams, chief technology officer at the ISP Schurz Communications, told the Big 5G Event Wednesday. Others said the pandemic has meant 5G is rolling out more quickly, especially for businesses.
Fred Moorefield, deputy chief information officer for command, control and communications, defended DOD’s recent request for information on spectrum sharing, which industry and FCC officials say raised questions as the commission moves toward a vote on the 3.45-3.55 GHz band. Moorefield spoke at NTIA’s virtual spectrum policy symposium. At a similar summit a year ago, officials promised the administration would soon release a national spectrum policy; it hasn't been unveiled.